Citation

Brewer KA, Thieman AA, Woodman WF, Avant LL. Transp. Res. Rec. 1985; 1027: 35-42.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Semantic differential scaling has been used as a method of evaluating and assessing driver understanding and comprehension of traffic signs in the past. Litigation and other operational pressures on traffic engineering agencies have created an interest in finding a laboratory method for quick and easy estimation of driver performance in processing communication via signs. This paper contains data on research attempts to correlate the meanings assigned to road signs through semantic differential scales. These scales are correlated with drivers' abilities to detect, recognize, and react to road signs. Significant correlations were most often found between meanings attributed to signs in semantic differential scales and the performance of drivers in recognizing signs. No semantic differential scales were found for any sign tested for which a significant correlation existed in detection, in recognition, and in decision-reaction tests. It was concluded that semantic differential scaling has little or no relationship to perceptual response to highway signs by drivers.

Language: en

Keywords

HIGHWAY SIGNS, SIGNALS AND MARKINGS; AUTOMOBILE DRIVERS - Performance; SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND CYBERNETICS - Cognitive Systems; TRANSPORTATION - Traffic Control